Title-decider in Liverpool this weekend?
Liverpool host Man City on Sunday, and if Arsenal do their job on Saturday, this match could take on an extra dimension. Arsenal are 6 points ahead of Man City ahead of the weekend, and should they end up 9 points clear after 25 matches, that could more or less seal the deal for Arteta’s men. Let’s take a closer look at Sunday’s big PL match between Liverpool and Man City!
Liverpool – Man City
Anfield – 08.02 @ 17:30 CET
What to expect from Liverpool
Arne Slot has been under a lot of pressure this season, not only due to the underwhelming results, but also for how he has handled the man management aspect of his role. The Salah incident over the holidays seems to have sorted itself out, but there are still a few worries concerning how he has handled some of the other squad members as well.
Despite poor results in the league, where Liverpool are now in 6th, they did well in the CL, securing their spot in the Round of 16 thanks to a strong 3rd place in the League Phase. Only 11 wins from 24 league matches is quite atrocious for a title-defending side however, so it’s no wonder a lot of Liverpool supporters have grown skeptical of their Dutch manager.
This year got off to a tough start, with their first 3 league matches ending in a draw, though one of them were away at league leaders Arsenal. After their 2-3 loss to Bournemouth a few weeks back, they won 6-0 against Qarabag and demolished Newcastle 4-1 at Anfield, so there are definitely some positive signs in between the negatives as well.
Securing a top 8 finish in the CL was important for the club, avoiding extra fixture in Europe as they try to salvage their domestic season. They might only be 6th in the league, but Man Utd in 4th are only two points ahead of them, so all is not lost yet.
Slot is hoping to see Joe Gomez back from injury, but he is still a doubt ahead of this fixture, with Frimpong, Bradley, Isak and Leoni already out.
Alisson will start in goal, with Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk and Kerkez a likely defensive line-up. Gravenberch will likely form a duo with Mac Allister in the middle of the park, with Salah, Wirtz and Gakpo supporting Ekitike up front.
Liverpool are currently slight favourites at 2.40, with the odds of a 2-1 win for the home side at 13.00.
What to expect from Man City
Liverpool is not the only club going through a bit of a crisis, with Manchester City 6 points behind Arsenal in the league. Guardiola knows that another slip-up could be enough to more or less secure the title for the Gunners, so he’ll go into this match hoping to grab all 3 points.
Same as with Liverpool, the Citizens secured a top 8 finish in the CL, meaning they also avoid the knockout phase playoff matches. Pep’s team also got the job done in the two-legged semi-final of the League Cup, beating Newcastle 5-1 on aggregate thanks to a 2-0 win away and a 3-1 win in Manchester.
They dropped two points against Spurs last weekend, however, and Pep will have been very disappointing to see his team’s 2-0 lead in that match slip in the 2nd half. Their match away at Liverpool this weekend will be followed by a home match against Fulham and then against Salford in the cup, and the City fans will be hoping to see three wins in a row here while hoping Arsenal slip up against Sunderland on Saturday.
Looking at the injury list, Bernardo Silva is a doubt ahead of this one, while Dias and Cherki could be involved here, with the former coming from the bench in their last match after having been subbed off against Spurs. Stones is back in training, but will still have to wait a bit before he is ready to play, with Gvardiol, Savinho, Kovacic and Doku also out.
Liverpool have lost twice at home in the league this season, while Man City have only won 5 away games so far in the PL 2025/26 campaign. We think Liverpool can make the most of Man City’s somewhat injury-ridden side here and grab a win. Can Arsenal get the job done on Saturday and make the most of it?
Don’t forget that we have Early Payout on this one – read more about it here.
Looking at the goalscorer odds for this match, here are the first goalscorer odds for a few of the players from each side:
Ekitike – 5.00
Salah – 7.50
Semenyo – 8.00
Gakpo – 8.50
Wirtz – 12.00
What’s your prediction ahead of this weekend’s big game from England?
Please note that the odds might have changed since the writing and/or publication of this article.
Last updated: 06.02.26
